


out of my mind (i must be)

by xies



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Christmas Party, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, Friends With Benefits, Happy Ending, Inferiority Complex, Lawyers AU, M/M, Office AU, Sexual Tension, lots of swearing, making a law-related fic bc i can, more like frenemies with benefits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:47:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21906961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xies/pseuds/xies
Summary: It’s an universally known truth, that Lee Donghyuck hates Na Jaemin.It’s the strong smell of his coffee, the way his car keys dingle on his hands like some kind of reminder, it’s his dumb briefcase, and most of all, it’s his stupidly handsome and unbothered face even at 8:20 in the morning.Donghyuck can't stand him.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Na Jaemin
Comments: 31
Kudos: 353
Collections: DreamXmas 2019





	out of my mind (i must be)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [speckledsolanaceae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/speckledsolanaceae/gifts).



> aaahhh, finally, here we are!! i just want to say this may not be very accurate bc i’m just a law student but i haven’t worked in a big office yet so yeah. i tried my best with that! i know some friends who do work on big fancy offices so i used that as a reference. also the law stuff is kinda based in the legal system of my country! or like… what i think i know of it hahshsd  
> the way i just mixed real names with stage names here… sorry about that…
> 
> now, to anne!! with 00ff and admin work i didn’t have much time to finish this TT but anyways <33 i really hope you enjoy!! ;; i don’t think this was what you had in mind when you wrote your prompt, but i hope it was a good twist to it!
> 
> a big thank you to tsanka and val for making this readable in like, a few hours hahshd ily <3
> 
> here's the [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0ZPpRuYO2rAWBuLOAY3goO?si=dEanV98gTMSDCX3yMuB3Zw)!
> 
> edit 19/01: added a few things ;; nothing major

Donghyuck is late for work.

It shouldn’t be as worrisome as it is, since Donghyuck doesn’t get late to anything and he has a perfect, straight record, but there is a reason everyone avoids getting late to work on Friday mornings, and that is Friday meetings.

Donghyuck presses the button for the elevator repeatedly, as if it’s going go make it go down any quicker. He lets out a frustrated groan, because the elevator skips the main floor and goes directly to the underground parking. He eyes the _-1_ on the elevator panel with resentment.

“This is bullshit!” Donghyuck fumes, adjusting the folders and papers on his arms while looking at his wrist watch, and holy fuck, he’s a whole twenty minutes late.

He considers taking the stairs for a second, when he hears the elevator bell. He breathes in relief as the doors open, and immediately motions to enter, but then, when he looks up, he freezes in place.

Right there in the middle of the otherwise empty elevator is Jaemin fucking Na, the most hateful guy in the office. Jaemin is on his phone, typing fast, and doesn’t even spare him a glance.

Donghyuck can’t stand him.

It’s the strong smell of his coffee, the way his car keys dingle on his hands like some kind of reminder, it’s his dumb briefcase, and most of all, it’s his stupidly handsome and unbothered face even at 8:20 in the morning. Everytime Donghyuck looks at him, he can’t help but get an irking sensation on the pit of his stomach, and today is no better.

He swallows the knot in his throat and quickly enters the damn elevator, facing the doors so he doesn’t have to look at Jaemin’s stupid face again. He adjust the papers and folders under his right arms again, and taps his foot, once, twice, thrice, counting the seconds until the elevator announces the floor they are on.

“Good morning,” Jaemin says cheerfully, as the elevator finally stops on the second floor.

Donghyuck snorts.

“ _Morning_ ,” he says back, voice going flat.

Jaemin doesn’t seem to notice at all. “Have a nice day, Donghyuck,” he continues, and goes out of the elevator unhurriedly and unbothered, in that same way he does everything else.

Donghyuck doesn’t bother with a reply. Instead, he blinks and looks at his watch again.

8:25, it reads.

He curses under his breath.

"Okay people, gather up!" Tiffany, his boss, orders, in an overly sweet voice and smile that shouldn’t be normal for at 8:30 am.

“Damn you, morning people,” Donghyuck mutters, and by his right, Taeil snickers.

Tiffany has a gloriously cute pink suit paired with white pants and heels that make a clicking sound with each step she takes inside the office. It’s filled with desks, and Tiffany walks around them towards the center of the room.

Donghyuck sighs, taking a sip from his latte, and makes a face immediately after. He didn’t have time this morning to buy his usual at his favorite coffee shop, so he’s stuck with coffee from the vending machine.

"Time for the game?" Jinki, the oldest —and nicest— associate at their department, asks. Donghyuck opens google drive on his computer, and skims through the excel where he keeps track of all his cases. He's never lost a round of questions before, but he doesn't want to start now. He’s relieved that at least he got here before his boss. He’s mostly safe, for now.

Jaehyun rolls his chair away from his desk and to Donghyuck's, so he's considerably closer to where Tiffany stands. Everyone is, more or less, surrounding her by now.

"Actually, no," she says, a hand digging for something in her purse. She lifts her hand. It’s a USB memory. "I heard from a little birdie that Donghyuck arrived a whole half an hour late this morning—”

“Oh my god, it was twenty-five minutes, not half an hour!" Donghyuck exclaims, quick to defend himself. Someone in the office snickers. Probably Irene.

Donghyuck frowns.

"Half an hour," Tiffany insists, looking pointedly at Donghyuck. A second passes, and she straightens herself, smile bright. "So, as a reward, you’re presenting today at the meeting,” she informs, walking towards Donghyuck and placing the USB memory on his desk. “Have fun!”

 _"Shit,"_ Donghyuck mutters, eyes going wide.

The office remains silent for the next seconds, except for the sound of Tiffany's heels as she makes her way to her own office.

Donghyuck stands up, pinching his nose. "Okay, which one of you fuckers ratted me out?”

It’s Taeil who laughs first, and everyone else at the office follows.

Donghyuck hisses.

So much for being safe.

The thing is that, as he has never lost a round of questions in the time he's been here, he's never gotten to present on Friday’s meetings before, and lately, he never pays much attention to them anyways. It’s partly because he has the attention span of a two-year old, but mostly because Friday meetings can just be defined as dreadful. It consists of a fifteen minute exposition from every department at the Law Firm, and, considering that it has six divisions in total (seven, if you count the International Law team), it implies a lot of boredom and mindlessly doodling on his notepad while he pretends to listen.

And as if that wasn’t enough already, after all that shit show, he has to wait until Siwon and Junmyeon decide on who to give the office’s most desired price: three gold badges that go to the Department, Associated Lawyer and Intern of the week respectively.

At the end of the year, the winner Intern gets a shiny one year contract. Donghyuck fought like hell to secure his position back then when he was an Intern, fresh out of Law School, and he'd been extremely proud of himself. He'd worked his ass off last year, and won the first place, with precisely thirty accumulated gold badges.

But now… He’s royally fucked. He doesn't have the time to do a structured presentation like the Intellectual Property Law department, and he doesn’t have the impressive cases like the Criminal Law department, or the numbers that the Corporate Law department makes weekly.

But oh boy, he’s not going down without a fight.

So, instead of working on his own case like he should be doing, he spends the morning interviewing everyone in his office —from Jinki and Tiffany to Jaehyun, including Seulgi and Taeil— about their cases, the current status and advances this week.

By the time the meeting comes around, he hasn’t touched any of the files he was supposed to go through today. It’s okay, he guesses. He can spare some of his free afternoon and go home later than planned today.

What’s not okay, though, it’s that in the end, he loses to the Crim Law department.

He loses to Jaemin Na.

His presentation isn’t that impressive, Donghyuck thinks, as Jaemin goes over all the cases his division currently has. It's when he gets to the last one, involving the ex head of the Department of Homeland Security, that Donghyuck realizes that he's screwed. There is no way the Family Law department can top that. He sighs, and simply resigns to his fate.

He doesn’t expect Jaemin to be nice about it, and the worst part of it is that Donghyuck kind of deserves it. He’s been an asshole to him for months, and right now, Jaemin has a reason to be an asshole back.

“Good luck next time, _Hyuck_ ,” Jaemin whispers to his ear, just for him to hear. Donghyuck had been expecting him, but Jaemin still manages to startle him, voice low near the back of his head.

They are just outside the meeting office, on the sixth floor, and Donghyuck has to stop talking to Mark to look at him. Jaemin is holding a gold badge in his hands. It shines, bright glimmer under the artificial light of the hallway.

“Fuck you,” Donghyuck, very loudly, replies. Mark rolls his eyes at them.

Jaemin laughs, brightly, showing his perfect white and straight teeth, and god, Donghyuck hates him so much.

“Fuck you right back,” Jaemin retorts, looking more amused than anything.

Donghyuck snorts. “You _wish_.”

"You two are unbelievable," Mark says, shaking his head in disapproval.

Jaemin laughs again, softer this time, and then, he puts a hand on Donghyuck’s shoulder and squeezes it. Donghyuck shakes it off so fast that it hurts.

“As unbelievable as you want me to be, Markie," he replies, smirking while taking a step back. "Okay, I gotta go. See you later guys," he says, and Mark waves at him as Jaemin makes his way back, catching up to his own team.

"Ugh, look at him," Donghyuck immediately complains, turning to face Mark again. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees Jaemin back hugging Jungwoo. " _Good luck next time,_ ” he mocks, in a very bad imitation of Jaemin’s deep voice. “God, I hate his fucking face.”

“Yeah, I got it the first four hundred and eighty times you told me,” Mark responds, smiling calmly at him. “Still don’t get your beef with each other."

“There’s no beef,” Donghyuck replies. Mark snorts, but he doesn’t say anything else. Donghyuck narrows his eyes at him, uncomfortable under his stare. “I just don’t like him,” he says, crossing his arms on his chest.

“I think not liking him is an _understatement_ ,” Mark emphasizes, raising an eyebrow.

Donghyuck is about to reply, a witty comeback on the tip of his tongue, when someone takes his arm from the side, effectively interrupting his train of thoughts. Donghyuck looks to the side and then up, frowning until he realizes that it’s Jeno who linked their arms together.

“What are you talking about?” he asks, with his usual pretty smile.

“Oh, just the usual, how Donghyuck doesn’t _like_ Jaemin bla bla bla,” Mark provides, moving his hand in circles to add a dramatic effect, and Jeno snorts.

Donghyuck groans.

“That’s definitely an understatement,” Jeno points out, and Mark immediately puts his hand in the air right after. Jeno looks confused, but high fives him anyways, with a soft and short laugh.

“That’s exactly what I told him,” Mark explains.

Donghyuck pinches his nose. “He’s just so ugh! So frustrating!” He exclaims. “For example, I ran into him this morning,” he continues. “Like, who the fuck takes the elevator from the parking to the second floor!” He complains, raising both his arms on his sides to show his frustration, and almost smacking Jeno's face in the process.

"You literally take the elevator from the first floor to the third floor, Hyuck,” Jeno retorts.

"It's not the same, I walk all the way here!"

Mark looks at him with a teasing smile. "I don't think taking the subway and a cab really counts as walking.”

"Oh, shut up, you literally have Yukhei drive you here everyday,” he retorts, slapping his arm while he looks down at his watch. “ _Shit_. Alright, I better get back to work, I spent all morning preparing for this and I now have a shit ton of things to do,” he whines, pouting. He shouldn’t have given the stupid meeting so much time. Now, he’s most definitely getting out of the office very, very late.

On a Friday night.

Donghyuck hates his life.

“Alright, you don’t have to beg, we can help you out,” Mark offers, adding a very bad attempt of a wink. Donghyuck decides to ignore it for the sweet prospect of help.

“Wait, really?” he asks, hopeful.

Jeno laughs. “Of course. I already finished most of my work anyways, and Doyoung owes me a favor, so he’ll let it slide.”

“I love you so much,” Donghyuck smiles bright, and right now, he really does feel like crying. “I’ll add you to my will. Best co-workers in life.”

“Oh, we know,” Mark says, smiling, high fiving Jeno again.

Donghyuck ends up leaving late anyways, but it isn’t because he needs to. He couldn’t stop himself from checking the cases he needed to review over the weekend, but at least he’s now ahead of his work for next week.

He gets up from his desk and stretches his arms over his head, letting out a yawn. In any case, now he has all the weekend to himself. He can call Mark or Renjun over to do something, like getting drunk over a shitty netflix movie.

When the light of his desktop dies out, he takes the papers on his desk, and unceremoniously sticks them inside his backpack.

He walks out of the office, turning off the lights before closing the door. He waits for the elevator patiently this time, backpack in one hand, phone in his other.

He opens his chat with Renjun. The last message is a cute bear sticker he had sent three days ago. _Read on Thursday, 01:38 am_ , it says. He sighs, closing the chat, as the elevator finally comes to a stop.

The door opens, and Donghyuck curses his luck for the nth time of the day. Jaemin Na is there, _again_ , like a fucking curse.

And maybe, _maybe_ Jeno was right. The more you hate something (or someone), the more you attract it. Donghyuck had laughed in his face for a whole minute, that time.

“Oh, hey,” Jaemin says, looking up from the blue folder he’s holding with both of his hands. He’s stupidly handsome under the sharp cold light of the elevator. “How was your day? Had fun catching up with your cases?”

Donghyuck snorts, entering the elevator with a strong step. “Since when do we do small talk?” he asks, standing besides Jaemin, his eyes glued to his phone.

Jaemin laughs, bright and sweet, and it reverberates on the closed space of the elevator.

“Right,” Jaemin replies, tone light, as if Donghyuck hasn’t just rudely brushed him off. “Have a nice weekend, Donghyuck,” he says, the elevator finally reaching the _-1_ floor. Jaemin steps out and winks at him as the doors shut close. “See you on Monday.”

Donghyuck flips him off, still not bothering to look up from his phone.

Then, he sighs, looking up to see why the elevator isn’t moving yet. At that moment, he realizes.

He forgot to press the button for the first floor.

On Monday, to compensate for last Friday, he arrives ten minutes early to work. He wants to have a good, fresh start of the week, and when Tiffany calls him and Jaehyun to her office, he thinks it might have gotten even better than that. He has a new case, his first big, juicy case, that’s he’s almost completely in charge of.

Donghyuck couldn’t be happier. It feels like his effort are finally being paid off, all those sleepless nights, with only his laptop and coffee as company, the blinding brightness of his google doc at ungodly hours in the morning, and putting up with the jokes of his colleagues about his chosen specialization.

Family Law isn’t all that popular, for multiple reasons, but Donghyuck had done his best to brush those words like they meant nothing.

It’s a lot Donghyuck has sacrificed for this. Time, effort, tears. Even friends.

But maybe today is his lucky day, he thinks as he sits down for lunch. Incredibly, he’s with Mark, Renjun and Jeno (and his shadow, a new intern named Chenle) this time. It’s a rare sight now, all of them together at lunch break, as there are always contingencies at the office.

Donghyuck is more than excited to be with them again, like in the good old Intern days. They sit at their usual table, just outside the kitchen. It’s the only table that’s on open space, and it’s amazing, as the fresh air feels a thousand times better than the air conditioner they are all used to.

“Heard about your big case, Donghyuck,” Mark says, smiling, as he takes his lunch out of his bag. “Congrats!”

Donghyuck smiles, stomach going all jittery. “Yeah, it was about time they saw what they were missing,” he replies, smiling. But it feels wrong, a heavy feeling settling in his guts. “I wouldn’t call it _my_ big case, though,” he adds, in a carefully disinterested voice.

And he’s right. Because even though it is a big case, and he’s in charge of it, he still has to consult to Jaehyun about almost everything. Donghyuck is already working fast on preparing his first interview with the client. It’s going fast and smooth, and Donghyuck… He wants to feel happy about it, but now, all three faces of his friends smiling at him, he can’t.

“Don’t get all humble on us now, Hyuckie,” Jeno says, taking a sip of his water bottle. “You deserve the spotlight, you were chosen for this case!”

“Jeno’s right, you were chosen for it, so you should feel proud!” Mark insists, smiling sweet and big.

“Yeah, I know,” Donghyuck replies, rubbing the back of his neck. “Thank you, guys.”

And it should feel good, being praised by Mark this way. Donghyuck has admired him for long, as Mark was his guide for the trial week, and they’ve been friends ever since. Mark was his first friend at the office, and he's still the person he trusts the most here.

He should feel good, but he just doesn’t.

“No problem,” Jeno replies, his eye smile shining. “Oh, by the way, did you guys hear?” he continues, hovering over the table. “Jaemin won his case. He got notified of the sentence just a few hours ago.”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes as he takes one of his recently acquired fries to his mouth. “Wow, Jaemin winning a case. Surprising. Impressive. Totally not done before and—”

“You shitting on Jaemin never gets old,” Renjun snickers, punching him on the shoulder.

Donghyuck laughs as Chenle hums loudly, contemplating, puffing out one of his cheeks like a chipmunk. He's cute. Donghyuck wants to pinch his cheeks.

"Uh, it kinda does get old," Jeno replies, sighing. "Sorry Hyuck.”

“I have to agree,” Mark adds, pointing at Donghyuck with his fork. “I still don't know how you went from friends to… _this_."

Donghyuck laughs again, dry this time. “What can I say? My awesome personality just didn't match with his awful one," he jokes, tone light and innocent. He prefers this, telling a story, than the ugly, real truth.

"Ha! I knew it. Jisung owes me ten bucks," Chenle suddenly exclaims, voice high. "He didn't believe me when I told him something was up between you two."

"He didn't believe you, so you made a bet?" Donghyuck asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I mean, I knew I wouldn't lose," Chenle replies nonchalantly. "I haven't seen so much sexual tension between two people since my first year at college, and that was already bad."

At that, Jeno chokes on his water, and Renjun stands to pats his back.

Donghyuck stares at Chenle, never taking his eyes away from him. He can't back down now. He takes another fry into his mouth nonchalantly. "Yeah, haha, very funny,” he replies, ironic, but it doesn’t matter, because Mark is already looking at him like he grew another head. Donghyuck feels his body freezing.

“Wait a minute, now that—”

And whatever Mark was about to say, Donghyuck is glad he’s interrupted. The door to the small patio opens, and Jaemin walks in, talking very loudly to Jisung, the other new intern, about the case he won.

Donghyuck immediately lifts himself up, taking his fries with him. “Was super nice having lunch with you guys, but I have a limited amount of patience for stupidity, and Jaemin might trigger it off,” he says, pointing at him with a fry. Jaemin rolls his eyes at him, but he doesn’t reply. “So, if you’ll excuse me.”

He makes his way to the door before anyone can say another word.

That same week, even with all his intentions of starting fresh, Donghyuck ends up making three fatal mistakes.

The first one happens on Wednesday, after his client had stood up him and Jaehyun with the excuse of getting a second opinion on his case —even though he hadn’t even gotten a first one from them yet. Donghyuck isn’t sad about it. Rather, he’s fucking _angry_. Clients like this, who think their time is worth more than the others, who don’t compromise, make the absolute worst type of clients.

Now, getting his first case doesn’t sound as good as before, and the worst part is that he’s stuck with it. Jaehyun laughs about it, about the client, but Donghyuck can’t.

He stands up and goes to the bathroom instead.

When he gets there, he washes his face. He has red eyes and dark bags under them, a reminder of the night he just spend preparing for his interview and any questions the client might have.

“What a fucking jerk,” his own voice echoes on the empty room, raspy and low.

He closes his eyes for a second, tired, and places both of his hands on the countertop, leaning towards it, breathing in and out. Just a second later, he feels the door open. He straightens himself quickly, turning around so he’s facing the wall instead. He takes a few paper towels, and dries his face off.

When he turns around, he sees a familiar shadow in the mirror, and he realizes it’s him.

Jaemin.

Donghyuck makes a face as Jaemin takes another step, and stops just besides him, near the sink.

“What?” he asks, looking at Jaemin through the mirror. He's wearing an all black suit today, and he looks unfairly hot in his dark and tight button up, and he can't handle it right now. Donghyuck wants nothing more than to shove him to the side, and dart outside the room.

He stays still instead.

“Rough day?” Jaemin asks back, smiling playfully, the right corner of his mouth tugging upwards.

 _Run, run, run_ , his body says.

Donghyuck breathes out quietly, and turns to face Jaemin with a deep frown.

“So what?” he asks, challenging _._

“Nothing,” Jaemin replies calmly, coming just a few centimeters closer. Donghyuck has to use all his will power to stay still, to not back down. “It’s just that you seem very stressed out today,” Jaemin points out, his smile growing to the sides, and Donghyuck curses internally. “I thought you may need a little help with that.”

Donghyuck hisses.

He knows what Jaemin means, offering this.

The first time it happened had been when they were still on friendly terms, back when they were new at the office, and Donghyuck still liked him.

And of course Donghyuck had liked him, with his charming smile and his flirty ways, with his back hugs and cheek kisses. Of course. They were good friends, as the two of them were the first interns to arrive. They stuck to each other until their circle got bigger, and they started to fit in the office, each one in their own place. And maybe, Jaemin fitted in just a bit better than him, but it was alright. Because Donghyuck had been hopeful...

Only to crash at the end. Of course Jaemin wasn’t interested in him like that. And then—

 _It can be a way to relieve stress_ , Jaemin had said. _Just think about it._

Donghyuck had been a fool.

“A little help?” he finally asks.

Donghyuck knows where this is going, he knows the script by memory at this point. And damn, he knows he should stop this, that it has come way too far, but everytime, he can't bring himself to do it, and today is no better. He can't stop this.

Because, deep down, Lee Donghyuck is still a fool for Na Jaemin.

“Yeah,” Jaemin replies, and they are both close, _so close_ now, that Donghyuck could lift his arms, reach for Jaemin’s face and do so, so many things. “A little help,” Jaemin murmurs against his lips, and at this point, Donghyuck can’t think straight anymore.

Jaemin smirks, expecting, _knowing_ , and then, he closes the distance between them.

His lips are rough, chapped, but warm and inviting, and Donghyuck can't get enough of them. He kisses them, inhaling sharply at the contact, intertwining his fingers at the back of Jaemin’s head, licking his lips, once, twice. Jaemin kisses him back, and it’s like _fire_ , igniting something deep inside Donghyuck’s guts.

Jaemin tugs at his lower lip, and Donghyuck opens his mouth immediately. He feels weak when Jaemin moves forward, taking control over the kiss, his tongue inside Donghyuck’s mouth, exploring, soft and wet. They kiss like that, a little hurried, a little impatient, and just a bit gone.

Jaemin moves his tongue around, pressing their mouths together until there is no space and no air to breathe. It's heated, Donghyuck hands still placed on the back of Jaemin's head, tugging at his hair, holding him, holding himself.

He moans when he feels Jaemin getting impossibly closer, until their bodies are pressed together, shifting them so Donghyuck is now against the sink, squeezed between it and Jaemin. It kinda hurts, the way the corners of the marble surface dig into his back, but when Jaemin places his hand on his hips and grinds against him, he soon forgets about the pain.

And it feels so good, to have Jaemin close, that he swallows the guilt, his self made promise to not fall for this, to not do this again, the same promise that he has made to himself over and over again. He swallows, and it _burns_.

Donghyuck opens his eyes, breathing in.

“What?” Jaemin asks, backing away just a few centimeters, eyeing him with curiosity.

Donghyuck breathes out.

“Nothing,” he says, his lips pressed together in a tight line. “Don’t look at me like that,” he continues, frowning. “Just keep going, you idiot.”

“Love it when you sweet-talk me, baby,” Jaemin replies, smirking from above, and Donghyuck has never hated the couple of centimeters that separate them more.

He lunges forward, pushing Jaemin against the door of one of the bathroom stalls. It opens right away, and Jaemin stumbles backwards, and Donghyuck can't feel bad when he finally, finally managed to erase that damned smile from Jaemin’s lips. He takes a step, grabbing Jaemin's tie with one hand. He smirks before yanking his neck down, and kisses him.

Donghyuck moves forward while kissing him, his free hand coming to lock the door behind him. When it’s done, Jaemin pushes him against the door, bodies close, their erections now pressed together.

When Jaemin rolls his hips again, Donghyuck can’t suppress the moan that escapes his lips. It’s loud, and a bit high, and Donghyuck feels his cheeks heating up at the sound of his own voice.

He kisses Jaemin again, and this time, he doesn’t stop there. His mouth goes down his throat, his shoulders, kissing and licking softly, taking his own time to build this up. He undoes Jaemin’s tie and opens the first buttons of his shirt with his fingers, mouth over his shoulder bladers. He finds a spot, and bites down.

Jaemin whines, voice deep and airy.

Donghyuck bites once more, hard. Then, without giving it any second thought, he drops to his knees.

Jaemin takes a sharp breath, his hand instinctively coming to Donghyuck’s dark locks. “Hyuck—”

“I told you to stop calling me that,” he interrupts, undoing Jaemin’s pants in a rush, dragging them down with his fingers. “Take your shirt off.”

Jaemin raises an eyebrow. “Why?”

Donghyuck doesn’t pay any mind to the gesture, hands still trailing over Jaemin’s boxers. He puts a finger inside the elastic band, and takes them down. “Why what?”

“Why, _Hyuck_ , do you want me to take my shirt off,” Jaemin replies, smirking now. “Do you wanna look at my abs while you suck me off?”

Donghyuck narrows his eyes, Jaemin’s hard cock in his hand. “I fucking hate you," he says, because he can't deny it. Jaemin’s abs are fucking hot.

Jaemin blinks, amused. “Yeah, you say that, and yet—”

Donghyuck doesn’t let him finish. Instead, he pushes his head down, taking Jaemin’s cock in his mouth without any other word. Jaemin loses his smirk, mouth falling open as he shuts his eyes close, and Donghyuck hums, satisfied. He moves his tongue, making Jaemin’s dick wet, licking as he moves his head down, until he can feel the hardness all the way back to his throat.

He bobs his head, fast and quick, taking it deep inside his mouth, just like he knows Jaemin likes it.

And Donghyuck can’t deny it. He likes this too.

“You’re doing so well,” Jaemin praises, his fingers grabbing Donghyuck’s scalp, pulling some strands off his hair harshly, until Donghyuck has to back a few centimeters from the force of it. He looks up to Jaemin, mouth still open, a string of saliva connecting his lips with Jaemin's cock.

"What?"

Jaemin doesn't reply. Instead, he takes his hand off Donghyuck's hair, and works fast on unbuttoning his shirt, going over it with skilled fingers. When he's done, his shirt is half open, revealing his hard, toned stomach.

Donghyuck's mouth waters.

He lifts his arms, fingers trailing over the soft, tan skin.

"Satisfied?" Jaemin asks teasingly, observing every moment Donghyuck makes.

"No," he replies, face coming closer and closer, until he's hovering over Jaemin's belly button. "Never."

With that, he sticks out his tongue, and licks. Jaemin lets out a moan, and it goes straight to Donghyuck's pants, dick throbbing painfully inside his briefs.

He licks again, slowly going over Jaemin's abs, the skin warm and soft, and Jaemin whines.

"Hyuck, _please_ ," Jaemin says, breathless, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. It's a look Donghyuck thrives in, Jaemin all heated up because of him, rosy cheeks and parted lips.

"Please, _what_?" he asks, looking up at him with a smirk on his lips.

"Please," Jaemin replies, biting his lip, his right hand coming to grip Donghyuck's hair again. " _Please_ , Hyuck, I need you to—"

Donghyuck takes the hint.

He bends his head down, taking Jaemin's cock in his mouth again. It tastes just a bit bitter and heavy, precum mixing with Donghyuck's spit. He sucks, again and again, fast and rushed, no considerations at all, Jaemin panting above him.

He licks, tongue flat across it, bobbing his head up and down at an erratic, harsh pace, until he feels Jaemin's cock hitting the back of his throat again, and he has to repress the sudden urge to gag. From above, Jaemin groans, deep voice wavering.

Donghyuck bobs his head again, slamming Jaemin's cock into his mouth, and Jaemin moans, he _cries_ , loud and whiny.

"Hyuck, I'm gonna— I wanna—"

At that, Donghyuck increases the pace, knowing exactly what it is that Jaemin wants.

Jaemin moans again, tightening the grip on Donghyuck's hair, and then, he comes. It lasts just a few seconds, and Donghyuck swallows it all. It's bittersweet, and he's left gasping for air, lips wet and shiny, sweat sticking to his forehead.

"That was—" Jaemin starts, breath still ragged. " _Amazing_ ,” he finishes, a hand coming to help Donghyuck up. “Sorry, do you want me to…" Jaemin trails off.

Donghyuck shakes his head, taking Jaemin’s hand in his own and pushing himself up. “I’m okay,” he replies. “I should get back to work.”

“Really, now?” Jaemin asks, disbelieving, his hands coming to his shirt to fix himself up. “Why are you so shy with me today?”

“Why do you always think everything is about you, Jaemin?” Donghyuck replies, his hand between Jaemin’s arm and ribs to open the lock of the door. He does, but Jaemin doesn’t move an inch from where he’s standing, right arm stretched to side, blocking Donghyuck’s way out.

“Let me go,” he demands, pointing at him with a finger.

“Say the magic word first,” Jaemin asks, smirking shamelessly.

Donghyuck gives him an unimpressed look, and then, he lowers his head and launches forward, trying to squeeze between the tiny space not covered by Jaemin’s body.

Jaemin moves quickly.

He traps Donghyuck between his arms, hugging him from behind, laughing loudly.

“I hate you so much,” Donghyuck fumes, trying to shake Jaemin’s hold on him with little to no success. He's no match to Jaemin’s strength, after all.

“Yeah,” Jaemin replies, smiling softly, and _finally_ letting him go. “So I’ve heard.”

Donghyuck doesn’t bother with a reply. He needs to get out of there. He moves around Jaemin quickly, avoiding any contact, and walks slowly outside. He doesn’t even stop to check himself in the mirror, even when he can feel the sweat clinging to his skin, his face hot.

He feels on fire, and he’s afraid that one day, Jaemin might burn him whole.

The second mistake he makes that week happens just the day after his first one, and this time, for a change, it isn't completely his fault.

Tiffany asks him to go get Jaemin for a quick consultation, his office just across the hall. Donghyuck, instead of asking Jaehyun to go like he usually would, decides to just get it over with, and goes himself.

When he opens the door to the Crim Law department's office, he sees Jaemin immediately. He's with Yerim, the cute girl that works with Mark at the General department.

She's sitting behind the central desk, and Jaemin is hovering over, his right elbow supporting most of his weight. Jaemin's face is close to hers, a smile on his face as Yerim laughs about something he just said, a hand coming to her mouth, shy.

Donghyuck grinds his teeth.

It reminds him of himself, months ago, hanging out in the Crim department whenever he had free time, laughing at some of Jaemin’s jokes, laughing with him, laughing about him, teasing, flirting, even.

He was so carefree around Jaemin, back then. There is not much left of that Donghyuck anymore.

He takes a few steps closer, and clears his throat loudly.

“Jaemin,” he calls out, “Tiffany wants you for a quick consultation.”

Donghyuck finds comfort in the fact that Jaemin seems startled for a second. He turns around quickly, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Now?”

Donghyuck snorts.

“What do you think?”

“Okay,” Jaemin replies. “I’ll go over there in a minute,” he continues, glancing at Yerim.

Donghyuck nods, and turns around.

He makes his final mistake on that same week's Friday. He arrives to work fifteen minutes earlier, and there, on the surface of every desk in the office, lies an identical white and red envelope, one Donghyuck recognizes at first glance.

It’s the invitation to the office’s infamous annual Christmas party.

During the time Donghyuck has been here, he has heard a lot about it. Last year, after he attended himself, he understood exactly why. It was wild. It started off as a formal dinner, a night with soft drinks and fancy clothes. A lot of people got drunk, and it was a show.

On the other hand, office drama was definitely a thing too.

Because even when people could invite a plus one, an outsider, a lot of them ended up inviting their own co-workers, and that’s when things got a bit too messy.

Christmas spirit encouraging, it was the perfect opportunity to ask a co-worker out. But there's always a risk in dating a co-worker. Donghyuck had seen it himself.

Last year, Jessica, from the Crim Law department, and Taeyeon, from the Intellectual Property one, had gotten involved in a fight so big that Jessica eventually decided to leave the office. It was what actually made Jaemin ascend so quickly in his department. Donghyuck had been bitter for a month.

He opens the envelope with distrust.

 _Mr. Donghyuck Lee and guest,_ the card reads. He shoves it into drawer of his desk without giving it any other thought.

Just before the weekly meeting —Taeil is in charge of it this time, thank god— he decides to head off to the kitchen with Mark to get some coffee, just to make sure they survive the next hour. It’s been a long week, and god knows they need it.

When they arrive, it’s almost full, everyone talking enthusiastically about the Christmas party, and who they want to go with. Donghyuck rolls his eyes at them.

“Oh, that’s Jeno and Chenle,” Mark says, pointing with his head to one of the corners of the room. Donghyuck follows his gaze, and is met with Jeno waving excitedly at them. Donghyuck smiles.

After they serve themselves some coffee, they quickly make their way to the table, sitting down beside Jeno and Chenle while talking about today’s meeting. Donghyuck smiles wipes off his face, though, the moment he realizes Chenle is asking Jeno his opinion on whether he should ask Jisung out to the party or not.

“Hey Hyuck, Mark,” Jeno greets, smiling at them, and then turning to face Chenle again. “I think you should go for it,” Jeno replies, smile going all mushy and soft. “Jaemin told me Jisung talks a lot about you, so I think you have a good chance with him.”

“What, really?” Chenle asks, tone hopeful, eyes shining.

With Chenle looking like that, Donghyuck can’t bring himself to mess around with him, like he usually would.

“Yeah, Jaemin even told me about it!” Mark chimes in. “He never shuts up about how you two met in middle school, but you went back to China after, and then met him again in law school again and ended up together here.”

“Yeah, Jaemin says it’s destiny,” Jeno adds, laughing.

Donghyuck snorts. “That does sound like him.”

In front of him, Mark slaps his arm.

Donghyuck frowns.

“I think I’m going to ask him,” Chenle says, biting his lip. “Thank you guys.”

Jeno extends a hand to grab Chenle’s, squeezing it softly before retreating. “No problem! Tell us how it goes.”

“Awwww, look at you being all fatherly,” Donghyuck teases. “Who would have thought the shy intern would end up being so good with the new kids.”

Jeno sticks his tongue out to him, and Mark laughs.

“Don’t undermine my authority, please,” Jeno accuses, pouting.

By his side, Chenle hovers over the table. “What authority, though?” he asks.

Donghyuck immediately laughs, almost knocking his coffee from the table with his failed attempt of patting Chenle’s back. “Okay, I like him.”

“Thanks!” Chenle replies, smiling bright.

“ _Anyways_ ,” Jeno pointedly says, taking Mark’s cup of coffee, and taking a sip from it, only to make a face right after. He hands Mark’s cup back before talking again. “So," he starts, looking at Mark and then at Donghyuck. "Who are you two going with?”

“I’m not even sure if I’m going, to be honest,” Donghyuck quickly replies, just as Mark chokes on his coffee, eyes widening. Jeno passes Mark a napkin, and Donghyuck launches forward, curious. By his side, Chenle does the same.

“What?” Donghyuck asks. “Spill!”

“Well,” Mark starts, coughing some more. “I’m going with… uh…,” he trails off, looking away. It feels off, Mark avoiding his eyes this way. “I’m going with Jaemin.”

“What?” Donghyuck exclaims, confused. “What do you mean, Jaemin?”

“Well… Jaemin,” Mark replies, finally looking at him. His eyebrows are raised and his eyes are still wide open. He looks sorry, sorry and distraught.

For Donghyuck, it’s not enough.

“Ugh,” he says, a hand coming to his forehead. “Why, just _why_? I thought you and Yukhei had something.”

“We’re just going as friends, Donghyuck,” Mark replies, tone serious. “And I still don’t get why you hate Jaemin so much, but I don’t, and I’m allowed to hang out with my friend.”

Jeno is looking at them, frowning, but he doesn’t intervene.

The air is tense as Donghyuck takes his time to answer. And the fact is, Donghyuck knows Mark is right, but it still feels unfair. It feels _too_ personal. So, instead of addressing it, like he should do, he takes a sip of his coffee, and frowns.

“I don’t hate him,” he says.

“Uh, you kinda do,” Jeno notes, raising an eyebrow at him.

“You were fine with him when you arrived,” Mark sighs, shaking his head. “You literally were friends before everyone else.”

“That was months ago,” Donghyuck replies, crossing his arms over his chest. “A year, almost.”

Jeno smiles sadly. “I just wish you two could be friendly again,” he says.

Donghyuck sighs. There is really no point, now. There is no turning back to those times.

He checks his watch, and takes a final sip of his coffee. It’s almost cold now, sugar on the bottom of it making it overly sweet.

“Whatever, loser,” he replies, a smile on his lips as he stands up. “Let’s go already, we’re late for the meeting.”

Mark doesn’t follow. “Hyuck...” he trails off, eyeing him carefully.

“Let’s not,” Donghyuck shakes his hand, “discuss this now.”

It’s tense again, until Mark sighs, and finally stand up.

“Fine,” he says. “Let’s talk about it later.”

Donghyuck nods, walking over the sink to leave his and Mark’s used cups.

When he comes back, he goes directly over to Chenle to hug his neck uncomfortably.

“So you like Jisung? Tell me more about your crush,” he asks, smiling, as Chenle hisses.

That day, after a few many drinks, once again alone in his apartment on a Friday night, he makes his third mistake.

He decides to attend the Christmas party by himself.

Three days later, Donghyuck finds himself arriving to the party fifteen minutes earlier than the card had noted. He parks the car somewhere close to the elevator, one of the perks of arriving earlier than everyone else. The suit he’s wearing today is uncomfortable already, the tie feels too tight, the shoes too hard on his feet.

But at least he has a ride. He borrowed his cousin’s car for the night, so he can drive back to his place instead of taking the subway. The bad part is that he can’t drink, and the good part is that he gets to witness everyone else being smashed, which, all things considered, it’s not that bad.

The receptionist guides him to his table with formal, practiced politeness. He thanks him as he sits down in front of a sheet with his own name printed on it.

He takes his phone out to quickly check his messages, and when he realizes there are none, he looks up and around, scanning the place. The room is prettily decorated, Christmas lights shining, red and white and green on every part of the room. There is soft Christmas music in the background, and he can sense the faint smell of the good (and probably over expensive) food. And okay, after all, this may not be as bad as he thought.

His eyes wander around again, and he notices Renjun on another table, talking to someone from his own department that he doesn't remember the name of. Donghyuck waves at him, and Renjun smiles, and moves his hand, signaling for him to come over. He shakes his head with a smile. _Later_ , he mouths. Renjun shrugs, giving him a thumbs up.

Donghyuck looks back at his own table, standing on his chair to take a peek at the other names. Chanyeol Park, one says. Donghyuck recognizes the name. He works in the same department as Jeno.

Baekhyun Byun says the other paper. He’s a general practice lawyer, just like Mark. He doesn’t know him much, but since they work on the same floor, he has heard his laugh from across the hall countless times in the past.

He shifts around, and catches sight of the other two names.

Mark Lee, says one.

In the same pretty, cursive letters it spells Jaemin Na.

Just his _fucking_ luck.

He’s about to stand up and ditch the whole thing altogether, when he hears a laugh behind him. It's a familiar, deep laugh, and he freezes in place. Jaemin and Mark have just arrived, and they come to sit across him, a smile on each of their faces.

“Hey, Hyuck,” Mark greets, as Jaemin brings his chair out for Mark to sit. “Thank you!”

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “Hi.”

He can’t believe this is what his life has become. His best friend and his enemy, on a date, just in front of him. For the duration of an entire dinner.

“Donghyuck,” Jaemin says, sitting down in his seat, beside Mark. He’s wearing a wine jacket and a black tshirt, his dark hair parted to the side. Jaemin looks amazing tonight.

He always does.

Donghyuck grinds his teeth, and breathes in.

“Jaemin,” he replies. “What a _nice_ coincidence.”

“Yeah,” Jaemin says, smiling at him. “Nice.”

Donghyuck expects this to be weird, for him and for them, but it isn’t. He manages to stay quiet most of the dinner, just snorting or rolling his eyes at some of the things Jaemin says or does. He doesn’t want to intrude in whatever thing Mark has going on with Jaemin, which, judging from the little gestures they have, is going rather well. Jaemin smiling at Mark, bright, an arm over the other's neck, and Mark laughing over a joke.

They look good together.

Donghyuck’s heart constricts inside his chest.

When dinner is over, he stands up immediately, not even bothering to say goodbye to them. He walks over the table with drinks, and takes one of the long, delicate glasses filled with champagne, and downs almost all of it in one go.

He’s going to need it to survive the night. He can take a cab later, or call his cousin to come get him.

“Enjoying the free drinks?” a voice asks to his left, and Donghyuck turns to face him. It’s Renjun, in a white and blue suit, his golden glasses making him look extra cute.

Donghyuck smiles softly. “Yeah,” he replies, moving the glass in his hand just a bit. “I wasn’t planning on drinking but...” he trails off, and he can’t help it. His eyes wander back to his table, and then to Jaemin, who’s talking excitedly to Mark about something, a grin on his lips.

He sighs.

“It’s good to let loose once in a while, though,” Renjun says, pointing at his drink. If he noticed Donghyuck staring, he doesn’t comment on it, and Donghyuck is glad. He doesn’t want to deal with it now. He doesn’t want to deal with it, period.

“You’re saying that,” Donghyuck starts, voice teasing as he turns to look at Renjun again. “But you never want to do anything fun with me ever since we got out of college.”

“I am saying that for a reason,” Renjun replies, eyes shining. “Oh, remember that time we decided to attend this big party the day before our Crim Law final? I think I’ve never had as bad of a hangover while taking a test,” Renjun recalls with playful smile. “I don’t think I’ve had a hangover that awful since,” he finishes, laughing now.

Donghyuck laughs too, bringing the champagne to his lips right after. It’s bitter, just a bit sour, and Donghyuck likes the taste of it.

“But we passed,” Donghyuck replies, actually remembering the day he got his mark back. He couldn’t believe it, and he spent a whole minute refreshing the page in case it was a cruel mistake.

“We did,” Renjun agrees. He turns around, taking a glass of wine from the table. “Because sometimes, in the end, the result is worth the risk,” he says.

His words throw Donghyuck off.

“Are you advising me to get drunk before a final?” he jokes, raising an eyebrow.

Renjun laughs again. “I’m just saying,” he starts, pausing for a second, “that some things are worth trying. Even if you don’t know how they will work out in the end,” he finishes, and it feels final, with the tone he uses. Something in Donghyuck’s stomach twists.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” he replies, looking away from Renjun’s overseeing, fox-like eyes. He tightens the hold on the glass, until his fingers feel numb.

“It does,” Renjun replies, coming closer to him. “Just admit it.”

And god, it does make sense, somehow. Because he and Jaemin… maybe they did have something good, back at the start of everything. But Donghyuck had been too scared. Of Jaemin’s brightness, of his openness, of the way he was always a step ahead of him. He had been too scared of his feelings, and the real, ugly truth.

In the end, Donghyuck had been the one to pull away. He was too scared of taking the risk.

And now, he had missed his chance.

“Fine,” he admits. He feels his cheek burning, the bright lights of the room now suffocating. “But he’s—” he says, stopping himself in the middle of it. He thinks of Mark, his best friend at the office, the one who had always been nice to him, understanding, forgiving, even when he didn’t deserve it. “Isn’t it too late now?”

It’s too late, and Donghyuck is doomed. Because the person he may be in love with might be dating his best friend now, and that’s complicated shit that he’s not willing to partake on. Mark is his friend first. Everything else comes second.

“Is it?” Renjun asks, bringing the glass of wine to his lips and drinking it all. Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at him.

“I think it is,” Donghyuck replies, sighing. “And even if it weren’t, Jaemin is...” he trails off, “Well, it’s complicated.”

“What’s complicated?” Renjun insists. “And don’t say it’s him, because I know for a fact he’s not the one running away.”

“It’s not him,” Donghyuck finally, _finally_ admits. And even if it’s just to Renjun, it doesn’t hurt any less, saying those words out loud for the first time. “It’s not him,” he repeats, realizing, and it hurts, but at the same time, it’s a weight off his shoulders. Freeing, somehow.

“So?” Renjun asks, like it’s nothing. And maybe, it is. “Get your shit together, then.”

Donghyuck laughs.

“I love how you make it sound that simple,” he says, bringing the glass to his lips to take another sip of champagne.

“Maybe,” Renjun starts, “it is that simple,” he says, leaving the now empty glass back on the table. “Okay, I’m done. Are you ready to dance?”

Donghyuck sighs, smiling right after, and leaving his half empty glass on the table too.

“I was born ready, Injunnie."

The party seems to be similar to the one last year, minus the actual drama. Donghyuck is half disappointed, half relieved about it.

A few minutes before midnight, he decides that it’s enough. He says goodbye to Renjun, and thanks him with a cheek kiss that Renjun doesn’t avoid this time. He actually managed to save the night for him, with all the dancing and the alcohol and the jokes about everyone at the office —which yeah, included himself. He can’t remember the last time he had laughed this much.

It’s a bittersweet taste he has, leaving the party. But it’s alright, he thinks as he walks across the room. It’s going to be alright. He can get over Jaemin. For Mark’s happiness, he would.

He manages to say goodbye to Jeno and Taeil while he’s making his way out, but he doesn’t see any of his other friends.

He steps out of the room, and heads directly to the elevator. He presses the button, and yawns as the door opens. It’s been a long day.

He steps in, and this time, he makes sure to press the _-1_ sign. He takes his phone out of the pocket of his pants, typing a message to his cousin. He can wait for him at the parking lot, and in the worst case, he can go out to the main floor to take a cab, but right now, he wants to be alone for a bit.

He’s typing fast when the elevator’s bell rings, and he steps forward as the door opens. But at the last moment, he crashes into something —someone—, and he almost falls to the floor.

“Woah, what the—” he starts saying, as the stranger hands come to hold him by the waist. He looks up, and freezes. “Oh, it’s _you_.”

It’s Jaemin.

Jaemin fucking Na.

“What’s up with that reaction?” Jaemin asks, smiling at him, bright and sweet.

It’s bright, so bright that it hurts, and Donghyuck looks away, taking a step back, out of Jaemin’s hold.

“Nothing, I was just—” he starts, but he stops himself before he can say anything else. “Whatever,” he finishes lamely, voice monotonous and emotionless. He’s tired, now. He’s too tired.

He moves forward, but Jaemin stops him, stretching his arms until there is no room for him to sneak out.

“Are you leaving already?” Jaemin asks.

Donghyuck looks at him again, disbelieving, mouth open. He _really_ looks at him. And Jaemin Na is there, blocking the way out of the elevator, tie around his shoulders instead of his neck, the first couple of buttons of his black shirt open, looking perfect and handsome and beautiful and everything _, everything_ Donghyuck can’t have.

Donghyuck’s heart stops.

“Yeah, what else would I be doing?” he says, ironic. To his ears, it only sounds wrong. “There isn’t much for me to do here, now,” he continues, and now, every word that comes off his mouth burns.

Jaemin raises an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“What do you mean, why not?” Donghyuck asks back, gripping his elbows with his hands.

“I mean,” Jaemin starts, taking a step forwards, just as Donghyuck takes one back. “What about me, _Hyuck_?” He asks, a playful smile on his lips.

It makes Donghyuck’s blood boil inside his veins.

“If you came here just to bother me some more, I’m telling you now: whatever little game we were playing, it’s over. You hear that? You win,” Donghyuck replies, now trapped between the back of the elevator and Jaemin. It’s always Jaemin, isn’t it? He laughs bitterly. “Now leave me the fuck alone, or else—”

But Jaemin doesn’t listen. When Donghyuck tries to shove him off, to walk out of the elevator, to walk out on Jaemin yet again, Jaemin holds him in place.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Donghyuck asks, nervous and angry and so fucking _done._ He can’t take it anymore.

“What do you think?” Jaemin asks back, raising an eyebrow, face close, as he holds Donghyuck. “I want to talk to you, and I can’t do that if you’re not actually present.”

“Talk to the wall, for all I fucking care!” Donghyuck exclaims. “Let me go!” he exclaims, trying to shake him off.

“Donghyuck, seriously, could you please just listen to what I have to say?”

“No!” Donghyuck replies, and then, he straightens himself, he stops resisting, but it doesn’t work, Jaemin is still holding him, and he’s inevitably frozen to the spot. “Jaemin, I swear to god, let me go right now!” he warns, voice loud.

Jaemin narrows his eyes at him, shoving him against the elevator's wall like it’s nothing. “Or what?” he asks, and he looks mad now too.

Donghyuck hisses. “You are restricting my right to freedom of movement right now, Jaemin, fuck, I swear I will—”

“What are you going to do, Donghyuck?” Jaemin asks, both of his hands on Donghyuck’s shoulders, pinning him to the wall. “Sue me?”

Donghyuck laughs bitterly.

“This isn't funny. Move, Jaemin,” Donghyuck commands, voice cold and angry.

“No.”

Donghyuck scowls. “Jaemin—”

“No,” Jaemin interrupts, shaking his head.

And now, Donghyuck really, really can’t take it anymore.

“Fuck!” he exclaims. “What do you want from me, Jaemin? Do you want me to beg you? Because I will,” he continues. “Can you _please_ let me fucking go?”

“No!” Jaemin repeats, scowling. "No until you hear me out!” he exclaims, loud and strong, and Donghyuck is startled for a second. It’s the first time he has heard Jaemin screaming.

“Fucking talk then!” Donghyuck demands, screaming back at him, because that’s the only thing he knows how to do.

“Alright, but you can’t run this time,” Jaemin warns. “Promise me you won’t run away until I’m done, Donghyuck,” he asks, voice serious, his fingers still on his shoulder, digging into the fabric of Donghyuck’s shirt.

“Fine, I promise,” he says. “But take your hands off me.”

At that, Jaemin finally backs down.

Donghyuck stays still on the same spot.

“Okay, so? You wanted to talk, now it’s your chance,” Donghyuck points out, crossing his arms over his chest. “ _Fucking talk_.”

“I know, but it’s still hard,” Jaemin replies, taking a deep breath. “The truth is that, Donghyuck Lee, you stupid, foolish, dumb idiot…,” he trails off, and Donghyuck frowns, a comeback on the tip of tongue. “I like you, Donghyuck,” he finishes

Donghyuck eyes widen.

“What the actual—”

“I really, really do,” Jaemin continues. “But you’re so dense! It was funny at first, y’know?” he asks, chuckling, his eyes wandering to the roof of the elevator, as his shoulders go down. He looks defeated. “Everyone at the office joked about it. About my crush on you.”

Donghyuck’s heart, once again, stops. “What? But I didn't—”

“Yeah,” Jaemin says, ignoring him again. “You’re so oblivious that it’s really not funny anymore. I even agreed on this stupid fake date thing with Mark just to make you jealous but you didn’t even blink an eye and I didn't know what else to—”

“Jaemin, what are you even talking about?” Donghyuck asks, curling his fingers in a fist. “Is this a joke? Because it's not funny.”

“I wish it was, but it really is not,” Jaemin says, laughing dry, his eyes going back to Donghyuck. “And I’m done hiding. So there, I said it, I like you, Donghyuck.”

It’s silent. Donghyuck doesn’t know how to respond to that. Is Jaemin joking? He has to be joking. This can’t be any other thing that an extremely cruel, awful joke.

“Are you not even going to answer? Because I planned this whole thing and—”

Donghyuck laughs. He finally laughs, bitter taste on his tongue.

“What do you want me to say, Jaemin? Are you trying to pull a Grey’s Anatomy or something?” You think because we are on an elevator, I’m going to accept your confesion, and we will have our happy ending or whatever—”

“Is that so hard to believe? Us together?" Jaemin interrupts, coming closer again. It’s dangerous, and Donghyuck’s body it’s telling him to run again. To run, far away, and never look back. And he should listen, he should dart out of the elevator right now. But he doesn’t.

He comes closer, closer and closer, until Jaemin is just a few centimeters apart, and he has to look up at him.

“What if I told you,” Donghyuck says, so dangerously close that he can count the number of Jaemin's pretty eyelashes. “that I like you too, but—”

“It doesn’t matter, whatever you're going to say," Jaemin interrupts him, breath ghosting on his lips.

“ _But_ ,” Donghyuck continues. He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I can’t be the person you want. I’m not reliable, I’m not stable, and I’m definitely not good for you—”

“You’re a force of nature, Donghyuck,” Jaemin interrupts, looking at him intensely, his hand coming to Donghyuck’s hips. He doesn’t shake them off. “And I would never want to change that. Not now, not ever.”

Donghyuck swallows.

There are tears in his eyes, and he can only blink them away.

"I don't need you to be anyone else. I just need you to be you, Hyuck," Jaemin finishes, smile as bright as the sky. His eyes are glossy too, now, and Donghyuck has to laugh.

“Fine,” Donghyuck says, almost choking on his own tears. “Then, I think I like you too."

“You only think?” Jaemin teases, coming impossibly closer, face glowing.

“Oh, shut up,” Donghyuck chuckles. He must look so ugly right now, face contorted, eyes red, filled with tears. “Shut up and kiss me, you idiot.”

“Well, baby” Jaemin says, grabbing his waits, and pulling him down a bit. “That, I can do.”

**Author's Note:**

> ♡ [twt](https://twitter.com/starlight_jaem)
> 
> extra:
> 
> "I can't believe you snatched a boyfriend, _and_ got promoted on the same week," Jeno says, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."
> 
> They are in Donghyuck's new office, that he shares with Taeil and Jaehyun, all his friends gathered in the room, celebrating his promotion. Donghyuk couldn't be happier.
> 
> "What can I say," Donghyuck replies, a smile on his face as he reaches to give Jaemin a hug from the side. "Luck is always on my side."
> 
> Jaemin snorts, hugging him back. "I literally had to fake date Mark and trap you in an elevator, though," he replies, laughing. "But go off, I guess," he continues, now standing up to place a kiss on Donghyuck's cheek.
> 
> "Gross," Renjun says, scrunching his nose. “But glad you sorted your shit out.”
> 
> "Yeah," Jeno agrees immediately, smiling. "This is still way better than you two pretending to hate each other."
> 
> "That was all Hyuck, though," Jaemin retorts, laughing. “I had nothing to do with it. I was always sweet to him.”
> 
> "Shut up," Donghyuck replies, pouting. "I hate you," he says, a smile on his face as he takes Jaemin's hand between his own.
> 
> Jaemin snorts again, and kisses the back of his hand.
> 
> "Yes," he says. "So I’ve heard."


End file.
